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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones has officially signed a five-year extension worth $71.25 million dollars with $47 million guaranteed.

Jones said this in regards to his new deal:

“I didn’t have any doubt in my mind that we were going to get it done,” Jones said. “Whether it was this year or next year, we were going to get a deal done. I want to be a Falcon for the rest of my career, and Mr. Blank let it be known that he wanted me here as well.”

Jones has been one of the best wide receivers in the game, as last season he caught for 1,593 yards, a Falcons’ team record. Last season, he was named to his second Pro Bowl, while earning All-Pro honors for the first time in his career.

This deal is great for both sides of the deal, as the Falcons get their top receiver locked up for the next five years and Jones finally gets the payday that he deserves, and is now the second highest paid wide receiver in the league, behind Detroit’s Calvin Johnson ($132 million over eight years).

In addition to being the second highest paid receiver, the Falcons owe him the most guaranteed money out of any current receiver contract.

Jones is going to be used heavily in Kyle Shanahan’s new offensive system, as this year, he will be working at several different receiving positions instead of just one.

This deal will open up the doors for Bengals star receiver A.J. Green. Green, who was drafted two picks before Jones in the 2011 NFL Draft, has also proved to be a top five receiver in the NFL.

Green is about to enter the final year on his rookie contract and will be an unrestricted free agent after this year. He has been trying to get an extension with Cincinnati, but they have had trouble agreeing on the terms.

Now with Jones getting his payday, we will most likely see Green get his next, a deal which will be very similar to the one Jones got.

The Falcons did a great job in keeping their best receiver, and with that out of the way, they can get back to preparing for the upcoming season.

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USA TODAY Sports

After sustaining a shoulder injury in only the third week of the preseason, the Green Bay Packers are hopeful that they will see wide receiver Randall Cobb in uniform and playing come Week 1.

Cobb had tests done on Sunday and was diagnosed with an AC joint strain. The reports were much better than what was presumed, which was originally believed to be a dislocated shoulder or broken collarbone.

The injury occurred on only the third play from scrimmage, when Cobb was tackled after an incomplete pass thrown his way. He landed hard on his shoulder out of bound  and when he got up, quickly jogged over to the sideline where he was sent to the trainers table, and later escorted to the locker room.

Cobb had this to say about his injury:

“I just caught the ball and was going down to the ground, and I had a guy land on top of me,” Cobb said. “I was just jogging off the field at the end of the series, and I could feel the pain. I didn’t know exactly what it was. It was discomfort, and I let Doc check it out and we went back and got X-rays. It’s not what we think it could’ve been.”

The Packers are lucky that this injury is minor, as this couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Jordy Nelson, the team’s top receiver, had just been ruled out for the season.

If Cobb was out for as long as people thought, the Packers would be in trouble. Other receivers Jeff Janis and Ty Montgomery have shined in the preseason, and regardless of Cobb’s status, will both see a good amount of playing time this season.

Luckily for the Packers, Cobb won’t miss too much time, and we will have to wait and see if he is good to go come the season opener.

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On Monday, the Houston Texans named newly acquired quarterback Brian Hoyer the team’s starter for Week 1.

Hoyer was acquired back in March, when he left the Johnny Manziel-hyped Cleveland Browns for a two-year, $10.5 million dollar agreement in Houston. Back in Cleveland, he shined for the first half of the season, but later would falter, causing Manziel to take over the starting position. This can only lead speculation that the same competition would follow him to Houston.

He signed with the team knowing he may not start, since they already had Ryan Mallett and Tom Savage on the depth chart.

Mallett, who was acquired by the team via trade, has only started two games in his four-year career. He split the decisions with one win and one loss.

Back with the Patriots, many teams were interested in trading for him, proving he was worthy of a starting position. The Texans gave up a conditional seventh round pick, that can become a sixth round pick based on playing time in exchange for him.

He tore his pectoral muscle after starting his only two games. That injury hurt is chances of being the long-term starter, as the team went on to sign Hoyer. Mallett’s chances of being the starter are small, but if Hoyer goes down due to injury or bad play, Mallett is the next guy up for the position.

Savage has had very little NFL experience since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. His only game came against the Indianapolis Colts, when starter Ryan Fitzpatrick broke his leg early in the second quarter.

Savage struggled in that game, throwing two turnovers and no touchdowns. They lost the game, and afterwards, the team put Houston alum Case Keenum in charge for the last two games. Ever since, Savage has seen no playing time and is now behind two quarterbacks on the depth chart.

Savage’s chances of being the starter are slim and unless the Texans are playing very poorly, Savage may not see the field this season.

Hoyer’s main competition comes from Ryan Mallett. Mallett has proved he can be a starting quarterback, and Hoyer needs to show he is a better quarterback that gives this team the best chance to make the playoffs, and essentially, a Super Bowl.

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On Sunday, free agent wide receiver Reggie Wayne met and took a physical with the New England Patriots.

The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, via Twitter.

Former Colts WR Reggie Wayne arrived in New England last night and is taking a physical with the Patriots today, per league sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 23, 2015

Wayne, who spent all of his prior 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, is rumored to be very close to signing with the team.

The Patriots are in dire need of wide receiver depth, as receivers Julian Edelman, Aaron Dobson, and Brandon LaFell are all battling injuries.

Danny Amendola has had an injury-plagued past, so the Patriots needed some extra insurance.

Wayne has had a Hall-of-Fame career, and he has proved that even at the age of 36, he can still be a solid receiver in the league.

Last season, Wayne accumulated 779 yards and two touchdowns with the Colts.

Indianapolis Colts Coach Chuck Pagano weighed in on the news of Wayne’s meeting with the Patriots.

“That’s the first I’ve heard of that. I think that’s great for Reg,” Pagano said. “He wants to play another year, so I’m happy that they’re looking at him and there’s an opportunity. Obviously the relationship is a very close one. But again, you just want the best for the guys and the player. If that happens, then that’s great for Reg, and I’d be extremely happy for him.”

The irony around the situation is hard to overlook, as Wayne and his Colts were part of the infamous game where the “deflategate” controversy began.

The Patriots were accused of deflating the footballs in their favor, and cheating the Colts out of a fair game.

Reggie Wayne would be a great addition to a mangled Patriots receiving core, and with the team missing Tom Brady for the first four games, they will need all the help they can get for the passing game.

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USA Today

Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl wide receiver Jordy Nelson is expected to miss the entire 2015 season, due to a torn ACL.

The injury came in the early in the first quarter of the Packers’ second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

After catching a pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Nelson fell to the ground on a non-contact injury. He was able to get up, and then hobble off of the field on his own power.

Initial concerns are that Nelson did suffer a torn ACL, but further MRIs will be taken to make sure of the injury. 

This is a devastating blow to the Packers, as they just lost their top receiver. 

Last season, Nelson was responsible for 1,519 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. 

He was Aaron Rodgers’ favorite target, and now, Rodgers will have to show he is still an MVP even without Nelson.

After the game, Rodgers spoke to the media, saying :

“It’s difficult to lose a guy like that in a meaningless game,” and later said, “This game doesn’t mean anything.”

Its easy to understand Rodgers’ frustration, and when you loose a top tier player in the preseason, it hurts the team’s momentum. 

Cam Newton understands his frustration, as Kelvin Benjamin, the team’s top receiver, tore his ACL in a joint practice with the Dolphins. 

While it was not during a game, it has the same impact on both offenses. 

Each team will now look for the next guy to step up, and fill in for the injured star. 

For the Panthers, rookie Devin Funchess, and former Packer Jarrett Boykin look to fill the void.

While in Green Bay, rookie receiver Ty Montgomery or Davante Adams will attempt to fill the void of Nelson.

No matter who comes in, it will be very difficult for the Packers to replace the All-Pro. 

However, they have the best quarterback in the league, and he wouldn’t be the league MVP because of one player. 

The Packers can still survive with Aaron Rodgers behind center, Eddie Lacy in the backfield, and Randall Cobb becoming the number one guy in Green Bay.

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Arizona Cardinals guard Mike Iupati will miss three-to-eight weeks due to arthroscopic knee surgery, according to RotoWorld.

Iupati noticed swelling in his knee on Wednesday and Coach Bruce Arians sent him to get it checked out.

Iupati was acquired over the offseason, when he inked a five-year, $40 million dollar deal back during free agency. 

He previously was the starting left guard on the San Francisco 49ers and was one of the first to leave San Francisco in what Yahoo! Sports called the worst offseason of all time. He will begin his tenure with the Cardinals this year.

The 28-year-old is a three-time Pro Bowler, so his absence will cost the Cardinals. On the other side of the offensive line, starting right tackle Ben Massie is suspended for the first three games of the season due to violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. 

Now, the Cardinals must face the fact that almost half of their offensive line will be missing for the first three games of the season. 

The Cardinals will need someone to step up for the injured Iupati. They currently have guard Ted Larsen behind Iupati in the depth chart, so it is very likely we see him in Iupati’s place. 

Last season, Larsen played in all sixteen games for Arizona at the left guard. Larsen was originally battling for the center position with A.Q. Shipley. 

However, the Cardinals pulled the plug on that battle and brought back center Lyle Sendlein instead.

This injury does not come at a good time for the Cardinals. It seemed everybody was back and healthy and they were ready to march back into the playoffs. However, they will have to take a tougher path with harder obstacles in their path.

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With the NFL Preseason underway, the regular season is quickly approaching. This means, it is Fantasy football season as well. All over the country, fans everywhere are getting excited and are left wondering who they should target in their leagues.

This year is full of talent and there are so many names that are capable of being a first round selection. Below I have put together my first round mock draft in a 12-team, non PPR league.

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AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

JaVale McGee has signed a two-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks, according to multiple reports.

He has been a free agent since he was waived by the 76ers in March. 

The terms of the deal were not released, per team policy. However, ESPN’s Marc Stein announced it would be similar to a two year, veteran’s minimum deal.

McGee was with the Nuggets at the beginning of last season before being traded at the trade deadline, where he was shipped to the 76ers.

 He played six games before being waived. He was in heated talks with the Celtics, but a deal was never agreed upon. 

Over last season, McGee only played 23 games, averaging 4.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, and one block per game.

The Shaqtin’ A Fool legend will be joining a Dallas team who is still mourning the DeAndre Jordan decision. 

When Jordan decided to return to Los Angeles, he left a huge void at center as their center from 2014, Tyson Chandler, signed with Phoenix. 

While McGee is no DeAndre Jordan, he has shown he could be a decent big man in the NBA.

Aside from Jordan, the Mavericks have had a productive offseason. They signed Wesley Matthews, who is a great all around guard and signed veteran point guard Deron Williams. 

Williams and Matthews were teammates back in Utah during the 2009 season before Williams was dealt to Brooklyn and Matthews signed with Portland. The Mavs hope that these two can rekindle their chemistry from Utah, but this time, for Dallas. 

Also, the Mavs drafted Justin Anderson out of Virginia, who as we saw from the Summer League, will be a playmaker.

The addition of McGee will help the Mavericks in the paint, and even if he doesn’t start, McGee is a great addition to the team.

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Houston Rockets star shooting guard James Harden has officially signed a 13-year, $200 million dollar deal with Adidas.

This deal is more lucrative than his five-year, $80 million dollar deal he signed with the Houston Rockets back in November of 2012.

Harden was previously signed with Nike, who had the option to match Adidas’s offer. After ten days, the company decided to decline.

Adidas general manager Chris Grancio released this in his press release:

“We’re a brand of creators and James embodies that more than any athlete in the game,” Grancio said in a press release. “His addition to the Adidas basketball family is a game changer. This partnership gives him the opportunity to achieve his goals and express himself in a totally new way as a creator. He’s already one of the most recognizable sports figures because of his game, his look, his hunger to win and his style on the off the court. His ceiling is far from reached, which tells you the future for him and our brand looks incredible.”

Rob Pelinka, Harden’s agent, negotiated the deal for him. He announced on Thursday that Nike declined to match the offer and that Harden will only be wearing Adidas equipment, which includes designing shoes, starting on October 1st. 

Besides just designing apparel, Harden will also take part in traveling on brand tours in Europe and Asia.

With Nike, Harden wasn’t given a signature shoe. In fact, he wore the Hyperchase prominently, which helped the sales. With Adidas, Harden is going to be given a signature shoe, to go along with his own apparel line.

Adidas was in dire need for a change, as the product lines of their main endorsers include John Wall, Damian Lillard and Derrick Rose. 

But Adidas has failed to match any of Nike’s LeBron James, Kevin Durant, or Kobe Bryant collections. In addition to that, Under Armour passed Adidas as the second highest in apparel sales last year.
The addition of Harden to Adidas may fuel a comeback for Adidas, whose shoes sold less than Sketchers and New Balance. 

Harden will be cashing in with Adidas, and we may see Harden return the favor for Adidas.

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Gifford’s family released this statement in the wake of his passing:

“We rejoice in the extraordinary life he was privileged to live, and we feel grateful and blessed to have been loved by such an amazing human being,” Gifford’s family said, “We ask that our privacy be respected at this difficult time and we thank you for your prayers.”

Gifford was married to NBC’s talk show host, Kathie Lee Gifford. He had five children, Cassidy, Cody, Victoria, Jeff and Kyle.

Gifford began his football career at USC, where he was named an All-American and later a first round draft selection by the New York Giants.

With the Giants, he was a huge attraction on and off the field. He brought a lot of attention to the team and used that as something he tried to make up for with his play.

Gifford played on the offensive and defensive side of the ball for many portions of his career. He was elected to eight Pro Bowls at three different positions: defensive back, running back, and wide receiver.

In 1956, he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. In 1960, he suffered a concussion by taking a vicious hit by Eagles linebacker Chuck Bednarik, which knocked Gifford out of pads for about 18 months. 

He decided to retire after this injury, but after the 1961 season, decided to return to the field. 

Despite his absence, Gifford became great once again, but this time – at wide receiver. He played two more seasons after coming back, making the Pro Bowl in 1963.

In 1964, Gifford hung up the cleats for good. He rushed for 3,609 yards and 34 touchdowns, caught for 5,434 yards and 43 touchdowns, and even threw for 823 yards and 14 touchdowns, an NFL record for most touchdowns by a non-quarterback. 

Gifford was one of the most versatile players in history, and for that, was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

After he retired from football, he went to the sidelines, where he would commentate Monday Night Football. He was a member of that crew for 17 seasons, all of which, was beloved by fans everywhere.

The world lost a legend today. He was a respected and beloved man, who was one of the greatest to ever play football.

Rest in Peace, Frank Gifford.

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